Convertible table and truck.



W. A. TYRRELL.

CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. I913- Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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THE NORRIS PETERS C0,, PHOmLITHQ, WASH/N073". u. c.

W. A. TYRRELL. CDNVERTIBLE TABLE AND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3.'19l3.

Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WWI/MW 9/ @A fw.

THE NORRIS Fe-JERS C11. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

W. A. TYRRELL.

CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1913-' Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- a w a k f 2 9 6 h 2 1 z 7H5 NORRIS PETERS ca.PHcTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

W. A. TYRRELL.

CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1913.

Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

THE N Rms PETERS 60.. PHOTOLIFHQ. WASHINGTON DV 6 W. A. TYRRELL.

CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3. 1913.

1,144,622. Patented June 29, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTC-LITHO,. WASHING TON. D C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

WARREN A. TYRRELL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO 0.CLINTON NICHOLS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CONVERTIBLE TABLE AND TRUCK.

Application filed May 3, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WARREN A. TYRRELL, acitizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, Stateof Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inConvertible Tables and Trucks, of which the following is aspecification.

It is customary in department stores, wholesale houses, and the like tomark or tag the goods or articles before they are distributed to theseveral departments, in which same are to be sold. This marking ortagging is usually done in a receiving room or department where thegoods or articles are loaded upon marking tables, on which same aremarked or tagged with the proper prices, after which the marked ortagged goods or articles are removed from these tables and loaded intobox or other trucks, by means of which they are delivered to the severalsales departments.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide aconvertible table and truck, which is designed so that same can beconverted from a marking table into a truck after a quantity of goods orarticles has been marked or tagged with the proper prices, and can beused to convey the marked or tagged goods or articles to the severaldepartments, thus obviating the necessity of loading the marked ortagged goods or articles into separate trucks.

With this object in view, the present invention consists in theprovision of a convertible table and truck having a verticallymovableplatform, which, when raised, constitutes the top of a table, and, whenlowered, constitutes the bottom of a box or truck, in which things maybe conveyed from one place to another or may be stored and lookedtherein for safe keeping.

Further, the present invention consists of the novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointedout in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, inwhich like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a convertible table and truckembodying the present invention, showing the movable Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1915.

Serial No. 765,228.

platform lowered slightly; Fi 2 is a transverse sectional view of same,showing the movable platform raised to its highest posit1on toconstitute the top of a table; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional Viewof same, showing the movable platform lowered to constitute the bottomof a box or truck; Figs. 4; and 5 are top plan views of two of thecorner portions of the device, with the corner plates removed to exposethe platform raising and lowering mechanism; Fig. 6 is a sectional Viewon the line 66, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the deviceprovided with covers for closing the top, showing the covers open and ashow-case supported on the movable platform; Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview of same with the covers closed over the top and provided with alock; Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the con vertible table and truck withopen sides; Fig. 10 is a side elevation of same; Fig. 11 is a sectionalView on the line 11-11, Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a sectional view on the line1212, Fig. 9; and Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the line 13-13, Fig. 9.

In the drawings, 1 represents the casing which is preferably formed ofsheet metal, though it may be formed of wood or other suitable material,if so desired. The casing has an open top, and the sides 2 and the ends3 of the casing extend substantially vertically and form the walls of arectangular space, inwhich a horizontallydisposed and vertically movableplatform 4 is located, the sides and ends of which platform touch ornearly touch the inner faces of the sides 2 and ends 3, respectively, ofthe casing. Each side 2 of the casing has a hollow member 5 extendinglongitudinally of the top of same, and each end 3 has a hollow member 6extending longitudinally thereof, which members 5 and 6 may be formedintegrally with said side and end, respectively, or secured thereto byany suitable means. The corner posts 7 of the casing are preferablyhollow and communicate with the members 5 and 6.

Each corner portion of the platform 4 is provided with a bracket 8,which is preferably secured to the lower side of the platform. An arm 9borne by said bracket extends through a vertical slot 10 in the side 2adjacent to an end 3 of the casing, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, whichslot communicates with the interior .of a corner post 7. Said arm 9 ofbracket 8 is fastened to the lower end of a wire rope, cord, chain, orany other suitable flexible member 11 by means of which the platform issupported, there being as many flexible members 11 as brackets 8. Theflexible members 11 that support one end of the platform 4 extendupwardly through the hollow posts 7 at one end of the casing, and arewound on a pair of double-grooved pulleys 12 to which the upper ends ofsaid flexible members are fastened, said pulleys being rigidly mountedon a shaft 13, which is arranged to extend longitudinally through thehollow member 6 at the same end of the casing. Said shaft 13 isjournaled at one end in a side of the hollow member 5 on one side of thecasing and at the other end in a boxing or casing 14, which may beformed integrally with or secured to the other side of the casing 1. Theflexible members 11 that support the other end of the platform 4 extendupwardly through the other corner posts 7 and pass over a pair ofpulleys 15 and then extend through the hollow members 5 on the sides 2of the casing 1, being, also, fastened at their upper ends to thepulleys 12, respectively, on which same are adapted to wind. Saidpulleys 15 are revolubly mounted on a pair of pins 16, which pins aresupported by the sides of the hollow members 5, respectively.

A gear-wheel l7 rigidly mounted on shaft 13 meshes with a gear-wheel 18,which is revolubly mounted on a pintle 19, which is secured to a wall ofthe boxing or casing A relatively large gear-wheel 20, also, revolublymounted on the pintle 19 is secured to the gear-wheel 18 so as to rotatetherewith, and receives its power from a pinion 21 rigidly mounted on anoperating shaft 22, which is journaled in the walls of the boxing orcasing 14. One end of the shaft 22 projects from the boxing or casing14, and is preferably angular in cross-sectional configuration to allowa crank (not shown in the drawings) to be fitted thereon for the purposeof rotating same. A ratchet wheel 28 is, also, revolubly mounted on thepintle 19 and is secured to the gear-wheel 20 so as to rotate therewith,a pawl or dog 24, which is pivoted at 25 to a wall of the boxing orcasing 14, being held in engage ment with the ratchet-wheel 23 by aspring 26 or other suitable means, in order to prevent retrogrademovement of said gearwheel. By this arrangement, whenever the shaft 22is rotated clockwise, Fig. 6, the pinion 21 will rotate the shaft 13 inthe same direction through the medium of the gear-wheels 20, 18, and 17,and will thereby cause the pulleys 12 to wind up the flexible members11, with the result of raising the platform. The pawl or dog 24 preventsretrograde movement of the gear-wheel 20 and thereby causes the flexiblemembers 11 to support the platform. One end of the pawl or dog 24extends through a slot 27 in a wall of the boxing or casing 14 so thatsaid pawlor dog can be moved out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel 23to permit retrograde movement of the gear-wheel 20, when the shaft 22 isrotated counter-clockwise, Fig. 6, to cause the flexible members 11 tounwind from the pulleys 12, thereby allowing the platform to descend.The boxing or casing 14 and the members 5 are preferably open above thepulleys 12 and 15 and are provided with cover plates 28, which are heldin place by screws 29 or other suitable means, so that said plates canbe removed to afford access to said pulleys, when so desired.

The casing 1 is provided with casters or rollers 30, which may belocated under the middle of the sides and ends, as depicted in thedrawings, or may be located elsewhere under the casing, said casters orrollers being preferably of the swiveled type. By this arrangement, thecasing can be readily moved from place to place in an obvious manner.

In practice, when the device is used as a marking table in a departmentstore, wholesale house, or the like, the platform 4 is raised, ashereinabove described, until its upper surface is substantially flushwith the upper faces of the members 5 and 6 as shown in Fig. 2, therebybecoming the'top of the table, or, if desired, said platform may be leftslightly below the level of the upper faces of said members. A pluralityof these devices may be placed in a row in a receiving room ordepartment, and the goods or articles to be marked or tagged are loadedon the platforms 4 of same. After a quantity of goods or articles on aplatform has been marked or tagged with the proper prices, the platformis lowered as hereinabove described, with the result of lowering themarked goods or articles into the interior of the casing 1 andconverting the device into a box or truck, in which the marked or taggedgoods or articles are then conveyed to the proper sales departments orelsewhere. It will be evident that, while a quantity of goods orarticles are being marked or tagged on the platform 4, the latter can belowered a little at a time to keep the top of the pile of goods orarticles on same at a convenient working level'for the person doing themarking or tagging.

In order to protect the goods or articles after same have been loweredinto the in terior of the casing 1 by the platform 4, the casing 1 maybe provided with a cover 31, or a plurality of such covers, as shown inFigs. 7 and 8, in which each end 3 of the casing has a cover 31 fastenedthereto by means of hinges 32 or the like. These covers 32 are arrangedto close the top of the casing 1, 'as depicted in Fig. 8, and, when thecasing is open, said covers will depend beside the ends 3, respectively,as illustrated in Fig. 7.

While the convertible table and truck hereinabove described isparticularly intended for use in department stores, wholesale houses,and the like, yet, it should be understood that same may be used injewelry stores and the like. It is customary in jewelry stores each dayto collect the valuable jewelry from the several show-cases and to locksame in a vault-or safe over night, but this may be obviated by theuseof the convertible table and truck in the following manner. A show-case33 may be supported on the platform 4 or, if desired, the latter mayconstitute the bottom of the show-case, so that, when the platform israised, the show-case will be displayed above the casing 1, as shown inFig. 7, and

when the platform is lowered, the show-case will be lowered into thecasing sufiiciently to allow the covers 31 to be closed, as depicted inFig. 8, and to be locked by a combination or other lock 34. By thisarrangement, the show-case 33 and its contents can be stored and lockedin the casing 1 for safe keeping, after which the latter may either beleft in its place in the store or same may be moved into a vault andlocked therein. If desired, the casters or rollers 30 may be omittedentirely, and the sides or ends of the casing 1 that are exposed to theaisles may be decorated in any suitable manner.

In order to allow goods or articles that are longer than the width ofthe platform 4, such as long bolts of cloths, etc., to be loaded on saidplatform and lowered thereon, the sides 2 of the casing 1 may be omittedentirely, as depicted in Figs. 9 to 13, inclusive. In this construction,the lower ends of the corner posts 7 are connected to a pair of hollowside members 35 by brackets 36 or other suitable means, which membersare connected by a cross-piece 37 or a plurality of such cross-pieces.The arms 9 of the brackets 8 extend through vertical slots 10 in thecorner posts 7, and are attached to the lower ends of the flexiblemembers 11, as hereinabove described. The flexible members 11 thatsupport one end of the platform 4 pass overthe pulleys 15 on the pins16, which are supported within the upper parts of the corner posts 7adjacent to the same end of the platform, and extend downwardly throughsaid corner posts, then pass under a pair of pulleys 38 within the lowerparts of said corner posts and extend through the hollowside members35,thence pass under a pair of pulleys 39, which pulleys are revolublymounted on pins 40 supported in the lower parts of the other cornerposts and extend upwardly through the latter to the pulleys 12 on theshaft 13. The other flexible members 11 extend direct from the pulleys12 to the arms 9 of the brackets 8 on the other end of the platform.Each pulley 38 is revolubly mounted on a pin 41, which projects throughslots 42 in the walls of a post 7 a member 43 being attached to said pinand bearing a bolt 44, which extends through an opening in said post andhas a nut 45 fitting thereon, which nut affords a means for adjustingsaid pulley, in order to level the platform 4. It will be observed thatthe hollow members 6 are, also, omitted, and each end 3 has its upperportion 46 bent outwardly, one of the portions 46 being bent so as tocover or partly cover the shaft 13. An internal gearwheel 47 on theshaft 13 receives its power from the pinion 21 on the shaft 22, saidgear-wheel 47 having ratchet-teeth 48 on its periphery, with which thepawl or dog 24 engages to prevent retrograde movement of the shaft 13.

Many changes in the arrangement and construction may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit andscope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. The combination of a body having an opening at its top and verticalslots in the walls of same, hollow members connecting the ends of same,a vertically movable platform within said body having extensions whichprotrude through the slots in the walls of said body, a revoluble membersupported by one end of said body, and flexible members wound on saidrevoluble member and attached to the extensions of said platform, onepair of said flexible members being arranged to extend through saidhollow members.

2. The combination of a body having an opening at its top and verticalslots in its walls adjacent to the corners thereof, hollow membersconnecting the ends of the body, a vertically movable platform withinsaid body having extensions which protrudethrough the slots in the wallsof said body, a revoluble member supported hori- Zontally on one end ofsaid body, and flexible members wound on said revoluble member andattached to the extensions of said platform, one pair of said flexiblemembers being arranged to extend through said hollow members.

3. The combination of a body having an opening at its top and Verticalslots in its walls adjacent to the corners thereof and hollow cornerposts communicating with the slots, hollow members connecting the cornerposts, a vertically movable platform Within said body having extensionsat the corners thereof, which extensions protrude through the slots inthe walls of said body into the corner posts, a revoluble membersupported horizontally by said casing, and flexible members wound onsaid revoluble member arranged to extend into the corner posts and beingattached to the extensions of said platform, one pair of said flexiblemembers being arranged to extend through said hollow members.

l. The combination of a body having an opening at its top and verticalslots in its walls adjacent to the corners thereof and hollow cornerposts communicating with the slots, the sides and ends of said bodyhaving hollow members extending longitudinally thereof, a verticallymovable platform within said body having corner extensions whichprotrude through the slots in the walls of the body into the cornerposts, a revoluble member extending through the hollow member on one endof the body, a pair of pulleys revolubly supported in the hollow sidemembers adjacent to the other end of the body,

and flexible members wound on said revoluble member and being attachedto the extensions'of said platform, one pair of said flexible membersextending from said revoluble member into the corner posts at one end ofthe body, and the other pair of said flexible members extending fromsaid revoluble member into the hollow side members and then passingthrough the latter and over said pulleys into the corner posts at theother end of the body.

5. The combination of a frame having an opening at its top and havinghollow members, each'of said hollow members'having a vertical slottherein, a vertically movable platform within the frame, means carriedby the platformand extending through the slots into the hollow members,means arranged within said hollow members for raising and lowering saidplatform including a shaft revolubly supported by one end of said frame,pulleys on said shaft, pulleys revolubly supported by the other end ofsaid frame, and flexible members arranged within the hollow memberssecured at one end to the pulleys on said shaft and at their lower endsto the means carried by the platform, one pair of said flexible membersbeing arranged to pass over said second mentioned pulleys.

6. The combination of a frame having an opening at its top, and havinghollow memend to said revoluble member and at their P lower ends tosaidplatform, one pair of said flexible members being arranged to extendthrough said hollow members.

8. The combination of a frame having an opening at its top and hollowmembers on the sides and ends thereof, a vertically movable platformwithin said frame, means for raising and lowering said platformincluding a revoluble member which extends through the hollow member onone end of.

said frame, and flexible members secured at one end to said revolublemember and at their lower ends to said platform, one pair of saidflexible members extending through the hollow members at the sides ofsaid frame.

9. Ina device of the type set forth, a frame consisting of spaced hollowvertical cornerposts, there being vertical slots provided in 7 saidcorner posts, and spaced hollow horizontal side members which connectsaid posts, a vertically movable platform, brackets depending from thecorners of the platform and havingarms which extend through said slotsprovided therefor in the corner posts and into the latter, a shaftjournaled in the upper ends of the corner posts at one end of the frame,pulleys adjacent the upper ends of the corner posts at the opposite endof the frame, flexible members engaged with the pulleys and with theplatform and passing through the last named corner posts and through theside members, and flexible members connected to the platform and leadingdirectly to the shaft and connected to the latter.

10. In a device of the type set forth, a

frame having an opening at its top and hol-.

low members constituting corner posts, said posts having a'vertical slotprovided therein, a vertically movable platform in the frame, downwardlyand outwardly projecting bracket arms carried by the platform andextending throughthe post slots and terminating within the hollow posts,a rotatable element at one end of the frame adjacent the top thereof,pulleys located at the upper portion of the other end of the frame, apair of flexible members arranged within the hollow corner postsconnected at one end to the rotatable element and leading directly tothebracket arms on one end of the platform and having their oppositeends connected thereto, and asecond pair of flexible members arrangedwithin the hollow corner posts connected to the bracket arms Intestimony whereof I hereunto affix my calgied by tile o ilposige enlcilof theil p%atform signature in the presence of two Witnesses. an engageWit sai p11 eys an a so connected to the rotary element, all of the op-WARREN TYRRELL' erating mechanism for raising and lowering Witnesses:

the platform being arranged Within the ho1- GEORGE G. ANDERSON,

10W corner posts. WVALTER O. GUnLs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

